dmagk

Hi, after many years of patience we've finally got a transfer and are off to Brisbane at the end of May

Anyone got any suggestions regarding a good suburb based on the following:
o good secondary school for our 14 year old
o good primary school for our 6 year old
o good transport to the CBD (Anne Street) (ideally 45mins travel or less)
o fairly close to the Mater or Royal Hospital (my wife is a nurse)
o leafy, family area
o moderately priced housing say $500 a week max

We've been looking on the web and have come across Forest Lake and Ferny Grove has anyone any thoughts on these areas ?

Thanks in advance

NikiL

Can't comment on Forest Lake, but we live in Ferny Grove and love it. 25-30 mins to CBD on the train, parkings tricky at the station though. We like the primary school here, can't comment on the secondary though.

I think the Royal is in Herston, which would take about 30-40 minutes from here depending on the traffic and the time your wife left.

Housing, well, there's rumours that the rental market is very tight at the moment due to the miners coming back to Bris, but I seem to recall this happening in a number of places shortly before there became a glut of rentals. It seems to be driven by loads of people wanting to sell their houses, not being able to which then means we're waiting for them to stop trying to sell them and renting them out instead. That could well have all changed by the time you get here.

Have a look at www.realestate.com.au for rentals, that will give you a gauge for whats about - worth looking at Arana Hills Everton Hills, Everton Park as well - they're all an easy drive to Ferny Grive train line and all lovely as well.

jayr

Forest Lake may look perfect to new arrivals but many Brisbanites would prefer not to live there.

By Austrlaian standards the blocks are small with housesd packed in. Compared to the UK the fact that all houses are detached and the area is very leafy may seem very appealing.

However, I hate to think what travel times to the CBD are from Forest Lake. My guess would be well over one hour in heavy traffic. Froest Lake is also next door to Brisbane's "worst" suburb of Inala.

For about $500/week in rent, and looking for good schools, and 45 minutes commute, the follwoing suburbs in the West would suit (I only really know the western suburbs well):

The Gap - very close to CBD, very leafy, Gap State school is supposed to be good. Note The Gap recently suffered significant storm damage but that is a very rare event (the damage, not the storm)

Indooroopilly/Kenmore/Chapel Hill/Brookfield - in increasing order of "westness" and distance from CBD. All of these suburbs are mature and leafy. Chapel Hill has a very good state primary. Kenmore State School gets some fo the best results in the State (beating many private schools). Indooroopilly primary and senior schools (not co-located) are both good.

By time you reach Brookfield you are almost in the country with standard blocks and many acreage blocks. Public transport is therefore a little more difficult.

More distant low cost suburbs include Moggill and Belbowrie. In my opinion these are too distant from CBD, though many do commute.

The state school near Corinda/Carindale is supposed to be good and commute times would be good also, though I don;t know the suburbs well.

cambridge lot

Hi

We are in Forest Lake, moved here last may (arrived in Brissy March) found a rental (good 4 bed for $400/w) kids got settled at school and so we stayed, bought our house November. We came over on 457 and now perm.

All my 3 kids go to local state schools, we have private school in Forest Lake which is supposoed to be ok, however they couldn't be bothered to answer my phone calls and emails so did not make a good impression.

OH works in Anne street and catches bus, takes about 40 mins, much less stressful than tyring to drive in, and so much cheaper ($140/m) he catches early bus to get a seat (Forest Lake is start of route)

Forest Lake is a new suburb and very mixed with nationalities, but that is very much like alot of areas, Has all you need and close to shopping centres one of which is being expanded, so should be a vast improvement to what it is now. Yes it is next to Inala, but we have no problems and all my other family members who are scattered throughout brisbane have no lesser or greater issues in their areas.

it all depends on what you are looking for, best to have a good look round, which takes alot of time, New area with plenty of facilities, smaller blocks (compared to oz standards - our house is far bigger than our 4 bed in uk - and also remeber there is the maintenance of large blocks (lots of grass cutting)) Older areas with more traditional queensland style houses (not necessary bigger) on large blocks, these are expensive unless further out and then you have transport issues (public)

Lots of kids travel to different suburbs to school, on bus services (if available) so you may like an area to live but chose a different school, the choice is much greater than the UK, Private schools range vastly in price and are generally of religious origin, state schools still cost (resources etc) it depends on your children.

We are happy here in forest Lake, everything is close, kids swimming lessons, 5 mins, shops (Aldi and woolworths) 5 mins, school 5 mns (car) too far to walk, especially in summer, my older 2 bike 10 mins for primary, 15 mins for high school (all on paths with manned crossings for primary) pedestrian crossings for high) fitness centre, other shops 10-15 mins in several directions.

I hope this helps a little.

TrickyTree

We lived in Forest Lake for a year or two when we first arrived and had no complaints. In fact I drove there last night to play poker and from Ann Street in the Valley it took just over 40 minutes. The average travel time we encountered was 45 minutes (driving) from Forest Lake to the Valley where I work via the city to drop off the wife (used to leave at 7.15 and arrive at 8.00). The train is an alternative and Darra to Central took 25 minutes if you get the express (leaves at 7.32 its sad I can still remember the time). The place is certainly bigger now than when we were there and in all honesty you can find a property on anything from a 300m block upto 1000m and above (its not all small blocks as everyone thinks). If we decided to have kids and could fill our 4 x 2 we wouldnt have any worries moving back up until then it is rented out for $400 a week. Cant comment on the schools as no kids but theres various articles on school performance on the boards you just need to use the search function. Travel to the Mater would be pretty straigh forward from Forest Lake we used to go past the place every day but not sure where the Royal hospital is.

dmagk

Just to say a big THANK YOU for all your comments thats great and has certainly given us some 'food for thought' !

Really looking forward to coming to Brisbane it looks like a great city and a great place to live.

DadAgain

- Confirmed -

The Gap State High School was last years top performing state school in the Brisbane area. It has an excellent reputation and beats all but the most exclusive of the private schools in terms of yr 12 results. Storm damage back in November was significant, but apart form the occasional roof with a tarpauline on it you'd be hard press to tell anything happened now. The truth is that ANYWHERE in Brisbane can be hit by a freak storm, and a 'nice' suburb is more likely to cop dramatic damage since there are more bit trees around to fall on things!

The Gap is still a very leafy shadey suburb and being so close to Brisbane Forest Park is fanastic (you know there wont be any future development to the west past The Gap!)

dmagk

Hi, thanks I looked it up and the name certainly doesn't portray the suburb does it ? Looks perfect, close to the city and a beaut area.

givemecoffee

Hi- I live in Ashgrove ( suburb next to The Gap ) and love it. Our 8 yr old goies to Oakleigh State School in Ashgrove and we plan on sending her to The Gap State School. Have heard many good things about it - her main reason for wanting to go there is that there is a climbing wall! I work at the Mater and it takes me about 25 minutes on the bus with one easy change in the city. Ann St would be very easy to get to by bus from The Gap or Ashgrove. Houses are prob a bit cheaper in The Gap and it is a nice green, leafy suburb. You would get nice rental for $500 - we pay about £385 for a three bed townhouse but with that money you could rent one of the more traditional queenslander if that is what you like. Good luck with the move!

LAM

Is forest lake not infested with termites?

ausi dream

Wish you well.

I would say North Lakes, up by Redcliffe.

NikiL

Thing is North Lakes seems to be one of those places people either love or hate.

Its a bit further out than I would have thought OP would want to travel for both him and his wife, and to be honest its not what I'd call particularly leafy..........

Seems a bit Little Britainy to me personally (just my view) which may be one of the reasons I don't like it. Hell of a shopping centre though.

wargod

Ditto - North Lakes!!

stickygreen

Hi

we moved to Bracken Ridge in October. renting at $390 a week. with the hot weather have really appreciated the sea breeze at Sandgate and Shorncliffe which is 5 mins away. I work at the RBWH and takes 20-25 mins to drive. there is a bus which takes 40 mins and if I take the train I go to Bald Hills to get in.

It has been ideal so far for finding our feet, easy to get to both Gold and Sunshine coast, and no complaints so far.

Jo

watford

daisy hill, springwood, shailer park and rochedale are nice areas lots of good schools ,shops,parks ect .Also very handy to the city. rents are probably cheaper if you go outside the city a bit too.